Drop end railroad car service



Sept. 1, 1936. R. E'. cARTzDAFNER ErAAl. 2,052,867

DROP END RAILROAD CAR SERVICE Filed June 11, 1952 5 sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR Sept. 1, 1936. R. E. lCARTZDAFNER 'ET AL 2,052,867 A DROP END RAILROAD CAR SERVICE Filed June ll, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Y a lNvENroR 3f ROY E. cARTzoAFNEF 5% BY foswALo o .wlLuAMs ATTORNEYS Spt. 1, 1936. R. E. cARTzDAr-'NER Er L 2,052,867

IDROP END RAILROAD CAR SERVICE Filed June l1, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR nov E.CARTZDAFNER oswALn O.w|L|.|AM5

ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 1, 1936 riso STATES DROP END RAILROAD CAR SERVICE Roy E. Cartzdafner and Oswald Oliver Williams,

Passaic, N. J., assignors to Magor Car Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Dela- Ware Application June 11, 1932, Serial No. 616,588

17 Claims.

This invention relates to railroad cars and has particular reference to service cars employed in special railroad work.

In conducting certain railroad work in which material is loaded upon service cars, as when a trench or ditch is dug alongside the track, it is common practice to mount a power shovel or other material-handling device upon one of the service cars for transferring the material from Vthe track side to the service cars. Inasmuch as the material-handling device has a limited range of operation or reach, it can only handle the material along a compara-tively short length of track and, under the most favorable conditions, can only reach and ll the two cars adjacent the car upon which it is mounted. When the device has transferred all the material within its reach and/or has filled all of the cars within its reach, the car carrying the device is uncoupled from the cars which it has lled, is coupled to unlled cars and the train advanced along the track to the next batch of material; or the train of one or more of these loading and material-carrying units is moved toa remote point to discharge the material-carrying cars and is returned to the loading point. This practice `decreases the working time of the device and crew and requires practically continuous use of a locomotive and much more switching of Athe cars than is warranted for the amount of material which is handied and transported in a given time.

According to the present invention, a service car is provided which is of such construction that atrain of these cars cooperate to form a continuous platform having the length of the train of the cars, along which the power shovel or other loading or material-handling device may be moved, preferably under its own power, while loading the material from alongside a considerable length of track upon the successive cars of .ie train.

The new car of this invention is provided with drop ends which cooperate with the dropped ends of the adjacent cars to form bridges which span the space between the adjacent cars and which lie flush with the floors thereof. The drop ends of the cars are reinforced, are hinged at their lower edges and, when in dropped orhorizontal position, are supported adjacent the hinges by extensions of the car frame and adjacent their free edges by braces seated in sockets on the frame of the car. A flap, hinged on the upper edge of the drop end, overlies the dropped end of the adjacent car and is slidable thereover in response to relative movements of the adjacent 'ends to compensate for these movements when the cars negotiate curves, hills and the like,'or when the adjacent car oors have different levels resulting from uneven compression of the car springs due to uneven loads on the cars and the (ci. 10s- 406) like. These flaps and the braces are foldable against the surfaces of the drop ends when the latter are moved to the normal elevated position.

In a preferred arrangement of the invention, the free edges of the dropped ends of the car are resiliently supported in such a way that they adjust themselves as the shovel, or other loading or material-handling device, or the like, passes from one car to another, this self-adjustment compensating for the difference in level of the two cars resulting from uneven compression of the springs of the two cars due to their differing loads, which is usually the case, since the shovel passes from a loaded to an empty car as it progresses along the train of the service cars. The cars are otherwise conventional in form, preferably of the dumping type, the drop end arrangement of this invention being applicable to conventional or standard types of service cars without material alteration thereof, and requires no change in the dumping mechanism, under-frame, or equipment thereof.

It will be seen that with the new arrangement of the invention, a train of practically any number of the cars may be traversed by a self-propelled power shovel or other material-handling device of commercial form, which is accordingly enabled to handle material along the entire train and lill all of the cars before it becomes necessary to transfer the cars to the dumping point. Accordingly the actual working time of the shovel and screw is considerably increased, the services of a locomotive are not required until after the entire train is loaded and little or no switching of the cars is necessary.

For' a more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of two coupled cars of this invention, illustrating the dropped ends thereof in cooperative relation;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevation of the drop end of the new car showing the drop end in both horizontal and elevated positions;

Fig. 4 is an end view of thenew car, showing the drop end thereof in elevated position;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of a modified form of the drop end car of this invention, the drop end of which automatically compensates for differences in level of the iioors of adjacent cars; and Fig. 6 is a section through a portion of the compensating mechanism of the modified arrangement as seen along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, numerals l0 and Il designate two coupled service cars of a train of cars used for conducting special railroad work. Each car includes wheel trucks I4 mounted on which is a wheel supported main frame including an underframe I2, with practice. Although one particular form of dump car is illustrated, the car may -beA of any conventional design insofar as the trucks under-frame, sides and dumping lmechanism are concerned.

Instead of being of the usual design, kthe car ends are pivoted along their lower edges adjacent the floor I'I of the car so as to lie substantially flush therewith when moved into the horizontal position indicated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The drop ends I8 are of special construction and include the inner plate I9 which forms the sloping end panel ofthe car body I5 when the` drop end I8 is inthe elevated position illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. The outer plate 28 extends substantially vertically when the drop end is in the elevated position illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 3 and is spaced from inner plate I9 by triangular ller plates 2l, which also reinforce the plates I8 and 28. The free ends of the plates I3 and 28 are provided with overlapping flanges and jointly form the hinge support 22. The free edge of the plate I3 is turned back upon itself parallel to the plate 2l! to form a hollow channel type of reinforcement for free edge of the drop end I8.

The lower or inner edge of drop plate I 9 of the drop end I8 is connected to the cross member 24 of the carbody frame I2 by means of a pluralityvof strap hinges 26, preferably four in number as shown in Fig. 4. These hinges are so constructed and arranged that the end I8 can be swung from substantially horizontal to substantially vertical position and vice versa,A about an axis transverse to the car. The hinges 26 are spaced inwardly from the end of the under-frame I2 and from the adjacent end of thecarbody frame I2,-so that the drop end I8 rests on andis braced by the carbody frame adjacent its pivot point.

`Pivoted by hinges 28 to the hinge support 22 of the drop` end I8 is azflap 2l which is arranged to be folded down upon the inner platey I9 of the drop end I8 when the latter is in the elevated position indicated in ,dotted lines in Fig. 3, and when in use the ap 27 is adapted to be swung outwardly yabout its hinges 28 as indicated in the dotted line in Fig. 3, so as to form an extension of the drop end I8 for a purpose to be describ-ed later.

A vertical plate 38 secured across the end of the carbody frame I2' supports a plurality of sockets 3l, each havingY spaced ears 32 adapted Vto receive the lowerendof a corresponding brace 33, a plurality of which are kpivoted at their other ends on the hinge plates 34 secured to the outer surface of plate 28 of the drop end I8. The free ends of the braces 33 are provided with shoulders 35, which engage the upper 'surfaces of the ears 32 ofthe corresponding sockets 3l so as to secure the drop end lI8 kagainst outward movement when it is in elevated position. The drop end I8 is locked in elevated position by cotter pins l3S passing through aligned holes in the ears 32 of the brackets SI and the free ends of the corresponding braces 33.

VThe end cf the under-frame I2 of the car is provided with brackets 31 comprising the pressed members 38 and 39 suitably secured together. Spaced'along` the outer wall of member 38 are sockets li'awhich are equal in number to and are aligned with the braces 33. The upper edge of each socket 40 is inclined so that the shoulder 35 of the corresponding brace 33 bears atly against it when the end of the brace is inserted j therein to support the drop end I8 in horizontal position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. In this .way

the weight of the drop ends and the lading thereon is transmitted through the braces 33 acting under compression directly to the rugged underfranre. I

In utilizing the cars of this invention to form a continuous platform extending practically the length of the train, the cars are coupled together, cotter pins 36 are removed to release the brace 33 and' the drop ends I8 of the car are lowered to the horizontal position in which they are supported and braced by the braces 33 inserted i-n corresponding sockets 83. .When in thisposition the drop endsY of adjacent cars are aligned with andextend toward each other across theV space between adjacent cars in the manner illustrated in Fig. 1. VThe free edges o-f the drop ends I8 of adjacent cars'do not engage each other' but are spaced apart as is' indicated, in order that there will be clearance between them as the ends of the adjacent cars swing relatively to each other when the train roundsv a curve.

In order to span the space remaining between the free edges of the drop ends I8 of adjacent cars, the flap 2`I of one of the drop ends IBis swung in the manner indicated in Fig. 3 so as to overl-ie and rest upon'the drop end I8 of the adjacent car. Only one of the naps 2l' need be used at a time under ordinary circumstances and the flap 2 of the drop end I8 of the adjacent car remains folded down upon the surface of the corresponding upper plate I9. Because the flap 21 is movable through a wide angle,it overlies and rests upon the adjacent drop end regardless of the relative elevations of the floors of the corresponding adjacent cars. Thus, even if the levels of the cars vary because one-is loaded morethan the other or for some other reason, the flap 21 slopesr the appropriate angle so that the floors of adjacent cars are substantially co-extcnsive.

When the drop ends of all of the cars of the train are placed in horizontal position and the V small gaps remaining between adjacent drop ends are bridged by oneof the corresponding flaps 2l the train of cars forms what Ymay be considered a single long platform having a length equal to the number of cars which are joined together in the manner described. In carrying on special railroad work such as loading or unloading material to or from the cars a commercial or standard form of power shovel or other materialhandling device indicated at 25 in Fig. l may be placed in one of the cars and may be used for transferring material from the side of the rails to the cars or vice versa and after it has handled all of the material within its reach or has transferred the material to or from as many cars as lie within itsreach it may advanceto a new po-v sition under its own power along the platform formed bythe cars and the drop endsV I8. This ,processmay be continued until either all of the cars have been loaded or unloaded or all .of the material along the track within the length of the train of cars has been transferred by the power shovel. If the entire train of cars has been loaded in this fashion during the process of ditch ing. or trenching the roadway alongside of the track the entire train may be moved to theV dumping point and the car emptied after which the train is returned to the loading point and the process is repeated.

Inasmuch as the cars are usually unevenly loaded since they are vloaded or unloaded successively the floor levels of the adjacent cars Vare uneven because of the uneven compression of the car springs. Inasmuch as the material-handling device 25 moves from a loaded to an unloaded car it is desirable to compensate for their difference in level. While this compensation'v is provided to a certain extent by the flaps 2'I which have a material angular lowering movement beyond the horizontal and athus possible total angular movement materially more than in the case of the showing in Fig. 3 an angle of about 250 and in the case of the showing in Fig.l 5 an angle of the order of 270, a modied construction illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, providesforthe compensation in a preferred manner. In this arrangement the free edges of the drop ends I8 are resiliently supported, so'that the weight of the material-handling device or other object moving from one car to another,vdepresses the higher of the two drop ends I8 as it passes over it, so as to lower it to the level of the cooperating drop'end of the other car. Y

In this modified arrangement, hinge brackets 4| aresecured to the car body frame below the level of the floor Il, and the drop end 42 is pivoted thereto for movementfrom the horizontal position shown in Fig. 5 to the vertical position shown in dotted lines, and vice versa.

The drop end 42 comprises the inner plate 43 secured to the fabricated frame 4 4 having hinge elements 45 along one edge cooperating with the hinge plates 4I. `The free edge of the drop end 42 is reinforced by achannel 46 to which the flap 41 ispivoted by the hinge 48. Brackets 49 are secured to the frame 44 of therdr'op end v42 upon which are pivoted braces 55, two of which are preferred. Each of these braces 50 preferably comprises a vertical member v5| anda diagonal member 52 which converge to form thel plunger 53, the diagonal member 52 being pivoted to the drop end 42 in the same way that the vertical member 5I is pivoted thereto. The plungers 53 are received in sockets 54 secured to the edge of car'body frame I2', whereby the drop endl is secured in the elevated position illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 5. The plungers 53 are each provided with agroove 55 which aligns with holes in the corresponding socket 54, whereby the plunger may be locked in the socket by a pin 5S inserted through the aligned holes and groove 55.

Where it is desired to lower the drop end 42, the pin 56 is withdrawn and the plunger 53 is inserted in a socket 5'I formed in a bracket 58 secured to the under-frame extension 59. This socket 5l contains a plate 60 upon which the end of the plunger 55 rests, and the plate Bil is in turn supported by the coil spring 6I. .One side of the socket 51 is cut low, as shown inFig. 6, to provide clearance for the diagonal number. 52 of the brace 50 as the spring BI is compressed under the weight of a heavy object moving over the drop end 42 Vto or from the other adjacent drop end. Y

It 'will be seen that the new car of this invention provides an extremely simple and eiective arrangement whereby a standard material-handling device may traverse the entire length of a train of cars without requiring movement of the train or loss in working time until after the entire length of the train has been traversed by the device, or all of the cars have been filled, or all of the material has been transferred. Although the invention has been described as particularly adaptable for use in special railroad work, it may be used for many other purposes where it is desirable or necessary to traverse a plurality of cars for loading or unloading the cars and the like. Also the new car is so arranged that any movable object, other than a material-handling device, may be transferred from car to car for any purpose whatever, especially where the object is heavy or bulky.

We claim:-

l. The combination of two railroad cars coupled together, members pivoted transversely of and o'n the adjacent ends of the cars and which members may be at the same or at diierent levels, means supporting said members in substantially horizontal position to extend toward each other across the space between the cars, and a device included inthe means of at least one of said members responsive to the weight of a body passing over the members for adjusting the level of the corresponding member to that of the other member.

2. The combination of two railroad cars coupled together and members hinged transversely of and on the adjacent ends of the cars and which members may be at the same or at different levels, means supporting said members in substantially horizontal position to extend towards each other across the space between the cars and adjustable means connected to at least one of the members for compensating for any diierence in level of the adjacent members.

3. In a railroad car, the combination of an underframe, a car body frame, a iioor thereon, a member hinged transversely at one edge to the carbody frame at a point spaced from one end thereof so as to partially overlap and extend substantially horizontally beyond the end of the carbody frame and co-extensively with the oor, said member being supported adjacent its hinge by the end of the carbody frame which it overlaps, and means supporting the member on the underframe at a point adjacent the free edge of the member.

4. In a railroad car, the combination of a frame, a floor thereon, a member pivoted transversely of the car to the-end of the frame, a brace connected to the member, a support on'the frame for the brace for securing the member in substantially vertical position, and a second support on the frame for the brace for securing the member in substantially horizontal position, whereby said member extends beyond the end of the frame sub stantially coextensively with the floor.

`5. In a railroad car, the combination of a frame, a floor thereon, a member hinged transversely of the car on one end of the frame, and a brace on the member connectible to two points on the frame for securing the member in independent vertical and horizontal positions, said member when inV horizontal position extending beyond the end of the frame and lying substantially coextensively with the floor. Y

' 6. In a railway train, the combination of two cars each including a load supporting part, horizontally disposed bridging means providing an uninterrupted continuation of the load supporting part from the load supporting part of one car to the corresponding part of the other car and Ameans providing a support for said` bridging means and engaging the same in spaced relation to both of said load supporting parts.

7. In combination, two cars in end to end juxtapositionf, each provided with a load supporting part'y terminating in spaced apart relation to the other, each part provided.v with an extension hinged thereto and adapted to be-lowered into horizontal position to extend towards but terminating in spaced relation tothe other so as to perimit one car to shift relative to the other as when going'around a curve while minimizing the possibility of the extensions colliding, and one of said extensions provided witha flap hinged theretovand adapted to be moved into position; overlapping the other extension and thus to bridge the' gap between the two rst named extensions when in horizontal position thereby to provide with-thc two extensions a continuous bridge between the lo'ad supporting parts of the two cars.

8. The combination of two railroad cars, operatively coupled together, with the adjacent ends of each car provided with drop ends hinged transversely of the cars, means for-Supporting each of -said drop ends in substantially vertical position each on itsrespective car, and saidrdrop ends movable into a substantially horizontal position to extend toward each other and in spaced apart relations and a flap mounted-on one of the drop ends and movable from a position overlapping said one drop end to a position bridging the gap between said drop ends when in said horizontal position and means for supporting saidrdrop end at a point adjacent the ap.

9. A drop end for a railroad car body comprising an inner plate adapted to form a sloping end panel for the car body when the drop end is in its elevated position and an outerplate extending substantially vertically, and a triangular filler plate locatedA between and reinforcing the inner and outer plates and a plurality of hinges having a strap of each secured to the inner plate.

l0. A drop end for a railroad car body comprising an yinner plate adapted-to form a sloping end panel for the car body kwhen the .drop end is in its elevated position and anouter plate extending substantially vertically, a triangular filler plate located between and reinforcing the inner and outer plates, a plurality of hinges having a strap of each secured to the inner plate at its lower edge, ,hingeA plates secured to the outer plate in spaced relation to the hinges and a drop end supporting brace pivoted to each rof said hinge plates and forming uprights` bracing the drop ends when in vertical position.

ll. In a railroad car, the combination of a support, a drop end having one edge hingedly mounted vinwardly from an edge of the vsupport and adapted to have a vertically extending and a horizontally extending position, the portion of the support outwardly of the hingedmounting providing a support for the portion of the drop end adjacent itshinged edge whenin horizontal position, a plurality of braces spaced apart across the outer and underside of the drop end, each ofvsaid braces having their upper ends pivotally connected to the drop end adjacent the edge opposite its hinged edge, means carried by the support for engaging and holding the lower ends of the braces when'the car end is in its vertical position to prevent movement of the car end from its vertically extending position, and other means carried by the support for engaging and holding the lower ends of the braces and thus supporting the drop end at spaced apart points adjacent its free edge when the car end is in its horizontal position.

f 12'. A dropend for a railroadcar comprising an inner plate, a mounting hinge at its inner edge, channel shaped reinforcing means at its outer edge, reinforcing means; backing the inner plate, a ap and a hinge connection between the iiap and the reinforced outer .edge of the drop end, said hinge connection providing afroedom of movement of the flap over an angle materiall-y greater than 180 and of the orderrof 13. In a. railroad car, the combination of a frame, a car body including a drop end carried by the frame, said drop end' having an upright position and aflowered position, a brace having oneend pivoted to the drop end, twosupports on the framey for the other end of thelorace,V

one of said supports disposed to receive the other end of the brace when the drop end is in its upvright position and the other support disposed to receive the other end of the brace when the drop en d is in its lowered position, and saidlast named support including. a cushioning (spring. l

14. In a railroad car, the combination of'a frame,a car body includinga drop end carried by the fratrie,` saidl drop end having an upright position and a lowered position, a brace having one end pivoted. to the drop end, two supports on the frame for theother end of the brace, one of said supports disposed to receive the other end of the brace when the drop endV is in its Aupright position and the other support disposed to receive the other end of the ybrace when the drop end is in its lowered position. v

l5. In a railroad car, acar body including means providing a xed floor, said Acar body in- Y cluding a hinged drop end adapted to be lowered into position to form a continuation of the floor, a iiap hinged to the upper edge of the drop end and adapted to form a continuationof the then topside of the drop door and thus form a further continuation of the floor, said flap adapted to bridge the gap between the lowered drop end and an adjacent car, and means for resiliently supporting the drop end adjacent its hinged con.- nection with the flap whereby loads either on the drop end or flap are cushioned. n Y 1' 16. The combination of two railroadcars with adjacent ends thereof provided with drop ends, each hinged to its respective carfsaid two drop ends adapted to be lowered into position approaching but not touching each other, a flap bridging the gap between the lowered drop ends and having its opposite edge portions supported from the two lowered drop ends, and two braces one for each drop end supporting the droprend's each from its respective car and coacting toV support opposite ends of the bridging flap;

' 17. The combination of two railroad cars with adjacent ends thereof provided with drop ends, each hinged to its respective car, said'twodrop ends adapted to be lowered into position approaching but not touching each other, 'a flap bridging the gap between the lowered'dropv ends and having its opposite edge portions supportedfrom the twov lowered drop ends', and resilient means for supporting the drop ends and therethrough for resiliently supporting opposite edges of the bridging flap. Y

ROY E. CARTZDAFNER..

' 0 oswALD OLIVER wILLIAMs.. l 

